In the electrical arts there is always a need for an improved clip type connector which is expedient to use, economical, and provides a positive, safe, and reliable electrical connection. In the electrical capacitor art these connectors also must withstand the passage of up to about 100,000 amps passing through the connection, and such high currents exert very high mechanical disrupting forces on the connector. Typical clip type connectors of the prior art are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,658 and 3,541,226, which disclose metal clip type connectors of a general V or VU configuration which fold over a stack of thin laminate connectors and clamp or crimp the connectors together. Piercing projections may be employed on the inner surfaces of the clip to pierce some or all of the connectors to retain them in assembled relationship.
In the application of prior art clips to plural tap strap leads of high voltage power capacitors several disadvantages were encountered. The prior art clips were difficult to handle and required considerable care in positioning, presetting and crimping. In some cases, the tap straps would skewer out of alignment in the clip making the crimping process quite difficult. In some instances difficulties of crimping were so great that there was insufficient piercing of the tap straps by the clip. Furthermore, the number of tap straps which could be effectively retained and pierced was limited and less than optimum connections, even with a reduced number of tap straps, could not withstand high current loads.